11.23.2008

Sultry Sunday #11 - The weekly "Pop Sensation" crossover

I believe it's your (well, all of our) lucky day. Today's book (again, chosen randomly off my shelves) offers a veritable sensory explosion - a (literal) orgy. Behold the gloriousness that is ...

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Paperback 167: Universal Giant no. 6 (1st ptg, 1953)

Title: The Private Life of Julius CaesarAuthor: William MarstonCover artist: George Geygan

Best things about this cover:

OK, stop. Hammer time. This book was written by the creator of "Wonder Woman." I Am Not Kidding. And yet none of the booksellers at abebooks mention the connection between this book and "Wonder Woman." You'd think that fact would be one of the main selling points. As I looked at the book, I thought "William Marston" sounded familiar, and then I looked inside and saw the author's middle name (Moulton), which rang even more bells. Then I googled. Holy Krap. From Wikipedia:

"Polyamorous" pretty much describes this cover - I count five different sexual permutations on the front cover alone - and wait til you see the back cover (and the spine!)

I love that a "feminist theorist" inspired this (awesome) cover. I guess she who reclines on the bed with the chalice of viscous mauve goo makes the rules. "OK, you kneel! Now you, you kneel more! Kneel wheel!"

I love how the whipping scene is strategically placed for her (our) viewing pleasure.

Best things about this spine!!!!:

I love how the kinkiest (albeit minutest) scene in the whole tableau is on the spine - no matter how it's shelved, You Will See Flesh.

Best things about this back cover:

I know this is an odd thing to say, given the rampant nudity, but those are some well-drawn horses.

"Your calves are so smooth..." "Oh, that's just the satyr urine. It works wonders. Here, let us pour some on your back..."

Jeez, a crucifixion, too? It's like the painting's running out of ways to exploit the female form.

Page 123~

from a chapter titled, I swear to god, "Ladies' Night"

The pretty young neophyte walked straight to the golden gate, as she had been told to do, and gave her name and that of her sponsor to the door-slave who stood behind the golden bars.

8 comments:

Yeah, door-slave. Wealthy Romans had a slave whose job was to wait by the door all day and announce/let people in or turn them away. This person was called a janitor, from Janus, the god of doorways. That's where we get our word janitor.

What I want to know is what it says in parentheses under the title. Venus with... Lust? Lash? Inquiring minds want to know.

Copies of this version of this book run in the $20s (you can have mine for $25, shipping included - I price all of my books, though I don't advertise that fact here). You might keep an eye on ebay, though. I just saw a Ridiculously priced copy there ($7, shipping included!). That auction seems to have ended, but with the coming Depression, I'm sure copies dirt cheap copies of campy old paperbacks won't be too hard to find.

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Just what, exactly, is Judge a Book by its Cover?

I worked in a public library. I saw literally thousands of books every week; the good, the bad, and the truly hideous. These are the covers from the latter category. Joining me (Maughta) is the ever-popular pinch hitter (and handy husband) DocTurtle.

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